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Topic: Battery Shutoff Switch

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TxGoat

Re: Battery Shutoff Switch

#41

Home away from home

As noted above, placing the disconnect in the battery "hot" cable rather than the battery ground cable would not protect against the hazard creating a dangerous, high-amp short when removing the "hot" battery cable from the battery post. In that case, it would be necessary to remove the ground cable from its battery post first, regardless of whether the disconnect was on or off.

Posted on: 5/22 14:03

Packard Newbie

Re: Battery Shutoff Switch

#42

Home away from home

And that would kind of defeat the whole purpose of having a 'kill' switch, wouldn't it?? In my limited DC knowledge, I cannot see any any other practical solution other than interupting the 'hot' side of the circuit. Chris.

Posted on: Yesterday 12:49

'If you think you can, or you think you can't - you're right!' Henry Ford.
1939 Packard Six, Model 1700

Packtriots

Re: Battery Shutoff Switch

#43

Quite a regular

Quote:

Packard Newbie wrote:
And that would kind of defeat the whole purpose of having a 'kill' switch, wouldn't it?? In my limited DC knowledge, I cannot see any any other practical solution other than interupting the 'hot' side of the circuit. Chris.

I'm no expert by any means, but there seems to be a split of about 70% of people online saying it should go on the ground side (positive, in my case), and about 30% saying it should go on the hot side. I was planning on going with the 70% people, unless someone can make a compelling case for it to go on the hot (negative) side.
Thanks!

Posted on: Yesterday 15:24

Packtriots

Re: Battery Shutoff Switch

#44

Quite a regular

Quote:

D_F_S wrote:
Quote:

Packtriots wrote:
TXGoat - I don't quite understand what a body feed wire is, but would love to learn more. I plan to run a cable from the ground post to the switch and another from the switch to the positive terminal.

You are receiving good advice on this question, but I would find a local expert to install your switch. There is no room for error with high current circuits. Even though you did not mean it, you described a short circuit.

Can you please explain why this is a short circuit? I'm not an expert, but I've watched several videos from guys that do a lot of repair work and they all wire the shutoff switch in this manner. Remember, I'm working with a 6v positive ground. Thank you!

Posted on: Yesterday 15:28

Pgh Ultramatic

Re: Battery Shutoff Switch

#45

Home away from home

Quote:

Packtriots wrote:
Quote:

D_F_S wrote:
Quote:

Packtriots wrote:
TXGoat - I don't quite understand what a body feed wire is, but would love to learn more. I plan to run a cable from the ground post to the switch and another from the switch to the positive terminal.

You are receiving good advice on this question, but I would find a local expert to install your switch. There is no room for error with high current circuits. Even though you did not mean it, you described a short circuit.

Can you please explain why this is a short circuit? I'm not an expert, but I've watched several videos from guys that do a lot of repair work and they all wire the shutoff switch in this manner. Remember, I'm working with a 6v positive ground. Thank you!

He interpreted it to be the positive terminal of the battery when you (hopefully!) meant it to be the positive terminal of the starter. Though that in itself would be the wrong terminology if your car is positive ground (I don't remember but as I recall they are all positive ground except 56).

I would vote for the ground cable but once you go to install it, it may be apparent that it would be a lot easier and/or use less cable to do it one way or the other. If switching the starter cable saves effort and cable, just do that instead. The real concern is the overall quality of the installation as well as the other things mentioned in this paragraph. The switching of positive or negative is only one non-critical consideration.

Posted on: Yesterday 19:42

Packtriots

Re: Battery Shutoff Switch

#46

Quite a regular

Quote:

Pgh Ultramatic wrote:
Quote:

Packtriots wrote:
Quote:

D_F_S wrote:
Quote:

Packtriots wrote:
TXGoat - I don't quite understand what a body feed wire is, but would love to learn more. I plan to run a cable from the ground post to the switch and another from the switch to the positive terminal.

You are receiving good advice on this question, but I would find a local expert to install your switch. There is no room for error with high current circuits. Even though you did not mean it, you described a short circuit.

Can you please explain why this is a short circuit? I'm not an expert, but I've watched several videos from guys that do a lot of repair work and they all wire the shutoff switch in this manner. Remember, I'm working with a 6v positive ground. Thank you!

He interpreted it to be the positive terminal of the battery when you (hopefully!) meant it to be the positive terminal of the starter. Though that in itself would be the wrong terminology if your car is positive ground (I don't remember but as I recall they are all positive ground except 56).

I would vote for the ground cable but once you go to install it, it may be apparent that it would be a lot easier and/or use less cable to do it one way or the other. If switching the starter cable saves effort and cable, just do that instead. The real concern is the overall quality of the installation as well as the other things mentioned in this paragraph. The switching of positive or negative is only one non-critical consideration.

Confusion again... I'll just call it the connection at the starter which right now runs directly to the negative terminal of the battery. That would stay the same. The other cable (positive) currently goes from the engine block ground to the positive battery terminal. All I'm doing is essentially putting the switch in the middle of that line, but using two cables to do it. Is that correct? That's the way I'm seeing in done in videos. Thanks!

Posted on: Yesterday 20:40

Pgh Ultramatic

Re: Battery Shutoff Switch

#47

Home away from home

Right, you need to (figuratively or literally) cut the ground (positive) cable in two then connect one end to each screw terminal on the switch. Obviously terminated properly etc.

Note if the switch has polarity markings. If so, connect the positive terminal of the switch to the positive battery terminal side and the negative terminal to the block side. The reason it might is because the pitting on the switch contacts over time will happen in a predictable way based on installation polarity. Sometimes switches are designed where they will last longer if connected with a given polarity so it will be marked. If it's not marked don't worry about it.

The switch polarity is something that the car won't notice but the switch will, so to speak.

Posted on: Today 4:12

Packtriots

Re: Battery Shutoff Switch

#48

Quite a regular

Quote:

Pgh Ultramatic wrote:
Right, you need to (figuratively or literally) cut the ground (positive) cable in two then connect one end to each screw terminal on the switch. Obviously terminated properly etc.

Note if the switch has polarity markings. If so, connect the positive terminal of the switch to the positive battery terminal side and the negative terminal to the block side. The reason it might is because the pitting on the switch contacts over time will happen in a predictable way based on installation polarity. Sometimes switches are designed where they will last longer if connected with a given polarity so it will be marked. If it's not marked don't worry about it.

The switch polarity is something that the car won't notice but the switch will, so to speak.

Thank you for clarifying - I thought that was the case. I'm getting new custom made cables (00 in lieu of the current 1), which should help as well. Thanks again for all your help!

Posted on: Today 8:14

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